Another path is to join one of the many many NGS startups where you too can analyze Nextseq data.
That will give you sufficient credentials to get into a PhD program if you want to do that.
Also there's an ex-hedge fund guy D.E. Shaw who runs a comp bio group, also Wolfram and all the big tech companies have comp bio groups.
Work there, see if you like it, that may give you an opportunity to enroll in a PhD if you want.
It will probably pay less than you'd make in a regular software job but its enough to live on and likely interesting work.
No matter where you go find a lab that is generating data. Data is the key.
If you're a software engineer, I'd venture a claim and say that the rando route will be easier. You have a valuable skillset researchers need -- you can code at a professional level. Use that to get your foot in the door!
I mean I’m sure that’s all good and fine for the author who if I understand correctly already has academic accomplishments and connections to lean into with.
But what if I or John Nobody wanted to work in computational biology? Am I supposed to just start reading and than reach out to randos working in the field and beg them to let me work for/with them?